How to be a lady
by Gentileschi
Summary: The P&P characters are in the reality tv show, How to be a lady, where they dive into high society life. They live at Pemberley, with Darcy, Charles and Fitzwilliam who are also competition 'escorts.' What will the girls learn, besides how to be a lady?
1. Opening Ceremoney

Disclaimer: I do not own Pride & Prejuice or any TV reality shows. I am just an unwilling slave to them once I start watching!

* * *

"**_Welcome to HOW TO BE A LADY! I am your host, Ruth Rogers, and tonight you will meet eight lovely ladies who will learn how to act, look and become a true lady of England. The winner will get £1 million, plus the official title of "Lady of Shallot!"_**

"Is that a real title, or are they joking us?" Elizabeth Bennett, better known as Beth, whispered to her best friend Jane Crocker. Jane just smiled and squeezed her hand in response. Beth smiled back. While she didn't care about the title or being a lady – although the money would be nice – Jane was thrilled to be on the show. Her family was a middle-class family, although these days that was not enough for a comfortable life. Jane was also thrilled with the idea of being a 'lady' – something she had dreamed of as a little girl.

"**_To help our aspiring ladies, we have world famous etiquette teacher, Ester Amato, royal family correspondence, Paul Hanson, and the elegant Lady of Pemberley, Georgiana Darcy, to offer insight of what the role truly means."_**

"Oh, how lovely! A real lady!" Jane softly exclaimed.

Ruth Rogers turned towards the group of ladies lined up at the door. **_"And now, I am pleased to introduce our girls ready to be groomed…_**

_**Lydia Jameston!**_

_**Anne Bourgh!**_

_**Catherine Jameston!**_

_**Charlotte Lucas!**_

_**Caroline Bingley!**_

_**Jane Crocker!**_

_**Elizabeth Bennett!**_

_**And Mary Ronai!**_

Each girl walked forward to the cameras and then took a seat to the left of Jane. Beth saw that Lydia and Catherine were the most flamboyant and seemed to want to seduce the camera. She had walked forward with a slight smile, as if amused by the whole program. She was also reminded of the environment she would now be living in. As she sat, she could feel the microphone transmitter in her back and saw several cameras positioning themselves for the best shot of the girls. She smiled and then sighed as she realized that she wasn't going to have a private moment until this was over.

Ruth Rogers signalled to the camera to turn off as she turned around to the girls. The cameraman swiftly moved around so that he had a good shot to Ruth and turned the camera on again. Ruth cleared her throat and began again.

"**_Now, I know that you are all very excited to begin the competition. Not only do you have the chance to become a true lady; all of you will learn how to behave like one. To further help with your studies, I would like all of you to take a ride with me to your new home for the next few weeks."_** A small buzz erupted among the girls. Jane looked towards Beth with excitement. Everyone looked apprehensive, except Caroline, Beth noticed. Caroline caught Beth's stare and smirked. Before Beth could react, Ruth spoke again.

"**_Lady Georgian Darcy and her brother, Lord Fitzwilliam Darcy, have been kind enough to offer their home to you for this competition. May I remind you that, not only are you a guest, but Georgian is one of our judges. I expect you to be on your best behaviour the entire competition." _**With this final warning, Ruth smiled and opened her arms. **_"Let the competition begin!"_**

Jane immediately turned to Beth, "Pemberley estate! How wonderful of Lady Darcy to offer it to us for the competition. She is said to be such a kind and lovely lady. I am so glad that, out of all the ladies we could meet, it will be her!"

"Mmmmm, are you sure that you are interested in her, or perhaps the wealthy Lord Darcy?" Beth teased.

"Beth!" Jane exclaimed, blushing. "You know that I have no such intensions! If I happened to see him though and he were to come over and our eyes met in such a passionate way – well, then we may have something to work out!" Both girls giggled.

"Oh, please," a cold voice interrupted their conversation. Beth and Jane looked up, surprised. "The Darcy family would never have something to do with such common girls such as you."

"Excuse me?" Beth was shocked to fine anyone so open to being so rude, "Why do you feel that you can talk like this? You are here, just like the rest of us to learn to be a lady! Judging by your behaviour, I think you need it more than most common girls."

"How dare you!" Caroline hissed, as a cameraman came closer to the girls. "I am Caroline Bingley – I do not _need_ this competition." Beth raised her eyebrow in response. "I am here as a _personal_ favour to Lord Darcy – although I can not go into the details now." She turned away to leave the room. Lydia, whose ears had perked at the words "personal favour to Lord Darcy," followed her out. Beth glared at her back.

"I'm sure you can't."

* * *

"Hi, I'm Charlotte," a pleasant girl with brown, curly hair introduced herself to Beth and Jane on the couch. "I heard your conversation with Caroline back there. I would be careful – she is such a stuck-up brat, but has a horrible sense of revenge."

"Oh, you know her?" Jane asked.

"Yes, we went to school together. My father is rather well to do, as is her family, so we went to boarding school together. Her brother and sister are rather nice, but she really has gotten this evil streak from somewhere out of the blue. It's lucky for her that her family is so nice. Her brother, Charles, is one of the nicest guys I know and would also look out for her. He knows what a horrible person she is, but he'll make sure she doesn't get hurt."

"It's odd how families are," Beth agreed.

"So, why are you doing this competition?" Jane asked.

"Promise not to laugh?" Beth and Jane nodded. "Well, I went to boarding school and have been rather privileged, but I never really got a good training in etiquette. My parents are afraid that I will never find a good husband if I don't get a proper training. This is a rather public way to go about it, but I have a good sense of humour. If my future husband can feel the same way; I know I got a good guy."

"Wow," Beth didn't know whether to feel impressed or sorry. "You really have to think about marriage now? Have you even gone to university yet?"

"I plan to start next fall. I'm going to study economics." She tried to explain to a wary Jane and Beth. "I don't plan to throw away my degree at all, but it is important to me that I find a good man to marry. To do this, I must be prepared to recommend myself. I am a fairly smart person with a decent sense of style. If I have the etiquette to match, I could find a husband to not only love, but help me and my family. Do you understand?"

"I guess so," Jane said thoughtfully. Beth knew that she was thinking of her own family.

"I have a great quote that goes something like this, "Men go after beautiful women, right? They do not marry a woman because she is beautiful, but it helps. The same thing for women; a wealthy man is attractive, but a women will not marry him because of that. She'll marry him because she loves him." I know – it's not quite accurate, but it's a bit close to what I'm trying to explain." Charlotte smiled. Beth smiled back.

"Where is that from?"

"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I love old movies."

"Me too! How about…" for the rest of the trip, Beth, Jane and Charlotte forged a great friendship.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I decided to end here to start. I have been writing other chapters and have just been trying to find a way to start the story. But this is following a competition I saw about girls becoming a "princess." I always get hooked on these shows. But, I have tweaked it a bit for P&P.

Coming next chapter: They arrive to Pemberley and meet Lord and Lady Darcy. Opening ball and classes and a short meeting at night between Beth and Darcy (William).


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! It is very encouraging to have ANY type of feedback. If you read this story at all, PLEASE let me know what is good, bad or ugly:)

* * *

With a snort, Beth jerked awake as the bus took a sharp turn. Sleepily, she glanced at her watch and yawned. Looking outside, she nudged Jane until she opened her eyes.

"What?" Jane asked as she yawned and sat up. Beth pointed out the window. Jane turned to look and gasped. The coach was driving up an impressive road of trees and forest, but to the side the girls had the first glimpses of a magnificent estate. "Is that Pemberley?" Jane breathed.

"I believe it is," Beth smiled. "I don't think I have seen an estate so beautifully situated before," she proclaimed.

"Me neither – it's gorgeous!"

Beth reached over their seat to nudge Charlotte. She noticed that most of the other girls were still sleeping. Probably a good thing, she thought. If Jane was any indication, there would be many gasps and giggles once they woke and saw the estate.

"Psst! Charlotte!" Beth whispered. Charlotte stirred, then relaxed again. Beth prodded her harder. "Charlotte! Wake up!"

"Mmph?" Charlotte slowly opened her eyes. "Are we close?"

"Yes, get up! It's a great view!" Beth whispered back. Charlotte slowly lifter her head to the window and smiled. "Well, at least I know Caroline can be truthful about _something_," she giggled. She sat up, smoothing her hair as she did. "How close do you think we are?"

"I'm not sure-"

"_Attention ladies!_" Ruth Rogers' voice came over the speaker; rather loud for a sleeping coach. The girls groaned at the sound. "_I am pleased to report that we are about ten minutes from the Pemberley Estate. Now, Lord and Lady Darcy will be waiting to greet you upon our arrival."_ She smiled as some girls showed visible displays of panic – perfect for the always hovering cameras. "_A lady must always be ready to put forward the best impression. I suggest you prepare yourselves quickly."_ With that, she turned off the speaker and sat down with the driver. Immediately, the couch erupted in noise.

"Oh, no! Only ten minutes!" Lydia wailed, "I'll never look presentable! Kitty – where is my make-up bag!"

"It's my bad and I'm using it first!" Kitty replied back as both girls scrambled to get to their overhead bag.

Jane rolled her eyes at Beth and smiled. She took out a small hand mirror and brush. After brushing her long, blond hair, popping a mint in her mouth, and applying lip gloss, she turned to Beth. "How do I look?"

"Perfect, as always," Beth said, grunting as she tried to loosen a knot in her own wavy, brown hair. Finally, it got loose and Beth smoothed down the stray hairs to a presentable look. Seeing her own face, she quickly applied some lipstick and mascara and ate a mint. With time to space, Beth and Jane watched as Pemberley came closer.

It truly was a beautiful estate, situated upon a small lake and river that wound around the trees. Some buildings try to impose themselves upon nature, but somehow Pemberley seemed to be part of the nature around it. Beth smiled and whispered to Jane, "The owners must be very kind to have such a beautiful estate that so completely embraces nature!"

* * *

"Quickly now; everyone come off the coach and line up where the x's are marked," Ruth instructed, ushering the girls from their seats. As each girl stepped from the coach, they looked up and gasped at the grand staircase in front of them. Jane and Beth came out in the same manner and stood together with Charlotte next to Beth. Jane was unfortunate enough to be next to Caroline. Both ladies gave each other smiles and looked ahead.

"Yes… now, put the camera here," Ruth instructed the cameramen. "_For the next few weeks, Pemberley Estate will be your home, your classroom, and your social hall. In addition, it is the home of one of our judges, Lady Georgiana Darcy. Your behaviour, public and among the group, with be used to decide if you are worthy of advancing to the next round of "How to be a Lady." The two ladies remaining at the end will compete for the title of 'Lady of Shallot,' a prize of £1 million, and possibly a new love!"_

"What!" Beth hissed, "What on earth is she talking about!"

Ruth ignored Beth and continued, moving towards the staircase. "_And now, I would like to introduce… Lord Fitzwilliam Darcy and Lady Georgiana Darcy!"_ Behind her, the doors to the estate opened and a couple stepped into the light. Moving forward, they stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the girls as the girls looked up. Lady Darcy looked very pleasant; she had a kind smile on her face as she took in each girl below. Probably only 20 years old, the young lady was a beauty with long, blond hair, pale skin and dressed in a white pants suit and light blue blouse.

By comparison, her older brother looked like a fierce competitor. Beth first noticed his eyes – the very intense, dark eyes that seemed to not find anything enjoyable in the situation or women below. His slight scowl completed this rather tough look and made Georgiana look that much more like an angel. Only when Georgiana touched his arm did his face soften and a small smile was illuminated. He took her hand and escorted her down the stairs to where the women were waiting. After a small squeeze of his hand, they parted and shook hands with Ruth.

As they stepped back to their assigned place, Lord Darcy looked at the women again. His face was unreadable until he came to Caroline. Beth thought she saw a glimmer of recognition, but it was quickly gone. She saw that Jane got a small nod of approval and then she fixed eyes with Darcy. She raised an eyebrow and gave half a smile. Darcy blankly stared back and moved on to Charlotte. Beth gave a small huff and turned her attention back to Ruth.

"_Welcome to Pemberley," _Lady Georgiana stepped forward. _"I am very happy to meet you all. You are very welcome here and I hope that you will find all your needs satisfied in your living quarters. If there is anything else you may need, do not hesitate to ask one of our staff and they will be happy to assist you."_

"_Thank you, Lady Darcy,"_ Ruth replied. She turned toward the girls, "_There are three rooms and eight of you. Please move with who you will like to room with." _Jane, Beth and Charlotte moved together; Lydia, Catherine and Mary in another group. This left Caroline and Anne Bourgh together. Anne looked a bit terrified of the icy Caroline, but no one offered to exchange spots. "_Very well; please follow me."_

Lady and Lord Darcy stepped aside as the group of girls followed Ruth up the stairs and into the estate. Beth glanced again at Darcy as they walked by, but his face was unreadable. She found it very vexing.

* * *

"_Our first lesson today is How To Walk Like a Lady,"_ Ruth shot a sharp look at Lydia, who snorted. "_I would like to introduce world famous etiquette teacher, Ester Amato, who will be your tutor."_ To the right of Ruth was an older woman, dressed in a skirt suit. Her grey hair was cut short and moved freely as she stepped forward to talk to the girls.

"_I am very pleased to meet all of you. As you know, part of being a lady is LOOKING like a lady. Today, we start with the basics. You know how to walk, but can you walk with grace and poise?" _Ester walked over to Lydia. "_What is your name?"_

"Lydia Jameston."

"_Lydia, please walk to the window and back."_ Lydia stared a moment before complying. After four steps, Ester interrupted her. "_Please stop and turn around. Can anyone tell me what she is doing wrong?"_

"She has no posture," Caroline replied in a bored voice. After seeing she had everyone's attention, she continued. "Her shoulders are slouched, her steps are heavy, and she looks around instead of keeping her head straight."

"_Caroline, can you please walk for us?"_ Ester asked. Caroline stepped forward, turned towards the window and began to walk. Beth had to admit that no one could doubt that she had good posture and a light step. Caroline turned back and walked to her place in line.

"_Very good!"_ Ester praised.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the girls walking back and forth. At the end, Beth felt that she could walk the length of the room with her eyes closed and not run into any walls. She sighed with relief when Ester released them for dinner. Jane, Charlotte and her headed straight for their room to change into trousers and polo shirts. After a dinner together with the other girls, the group headed to their common living area. Pemberley seemed to have a whole wing for guests that included a dinning area, living area, game room, tea room, bedrooms and library. In the living room, Ruth was waiting for them. The girls sat in the couches and chairs for her announcement.

"_Tomorrow night, a ball will be held in your honour." _Lydia and Catherine gasped and grabbed each other's hand. "_This will be a small affair; however your escorts will be introduced at this time. The escorts will be three gentlemen who are familiar with high society and how a proper lady should act. While they are not judges, they can contribute information to judges on what they observe in our activities. I think you will agree that they are very handsome gentlemen." _She moved aside to display a picture of three men. She pointed to the first one. _"This is Charles Bingley, a businessman currently residing in North London. This is Matthew Fitzwilliam, a __Colonel in Her Majesty's Royal Army. And finally, Lord Fitzwilliam Darcy himself has agreed to be our final escort." _The room exploded with excited chatter. Ruth waited for it to die down before continuing.

"_You will also be pleased to learn that during this competition, there will be two 'dates.' Each time, the dates will be determined by the escorts' choice. The dates will be a chance for you to get to know the escorts, but also to have a fun night in the area or beyond."_ She gave a sly smile. "_Well – enjoy the rest of your evening!"

* * *

_

"Bloody halls!" Beth mumbled to herself as she stumbled again on a loose rug. Not being able to sleep, Beth has decided to find a door outside to walk around in the cool, summer air. Doing so, she promptly got lost. Trying to be as quiet as possible, Beth slowly walked along the halls. The first time she tripped, she had cried out in surprise. After pausing for a moment to see if anyone was awaken, she continued on. This trip was the second one, and she was getting rather tired of not knowing where she was. "Where is my room!"

Opening the next door, Beth saw that she was in a sitting room; not very helpful considering she had already seen two on her nightly walk. She was about to leave when she noticed the moonlight on the lake. Walking forward, Beth went to the window for a better look. The house was so peaceful with midnight silence and the water twinkled from the moon's reflection. Barely breathing, she could just hear crickets and a soft breeze through the trees.

"Ahem!" Beth spun around with her hand to her chest and her eyes wide. There, in the doorway was Lord Darcy. "Oh!" she cried. Darcy walked forward.

"Do you have a sleeping disorder, or do you make it a habit of walking around strangers homes in the middle of the night?"

Beth narrowed her eyes as she tried to calm her heart from the fright. "You startled me!" She nervously shifted her weight. "I couldn't sleep and was trying to find a door so I could go outside. I can't find it and now I can't find my bedroom." She tried to look as proper as possible. "Could you please show me back?"

Darcy started at her a moment. Beth stared back, trying not to break the look. Finally, Darcy nodded and left the room. Beth rushed after him to see him turn the corner. Following him, she had to run to catch up to his side. They walked in silence.

"I am sorry if I woke you," Beth began. "I tried to be quiet and find my way back on my own."

"And if you didn't wake me? Would you wander the halls all night?"

"I- well, I would have found my way eventually," Beth stammered.

Darcy stopped. "Miss, I am very wary of this competition and having strangers in my home. Please take care that there is not a repeat of tonight." He nodded to the left. "Here are the participant rooms. Goodnight." He turned and walked away. Beth stared back at him.

"Thank you, Lord Darcy," she called. Darcy stopped and looked back.

"My name is William," he replied and continued walking. Beth starred at him, confused. Are all Lords so polite and yet rude?

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Please, please, please review! 


	3. First Day

A/N: That took MUCH longer than I hoped to post! I'm afraid that I have not had much time to write (or read), so I am splitting this chapter in two to at least post somewhat sooner! I'll try to finish up the day and then we have a competition and the first 'date.':) Enjoy! And thank you SO much to all of you who reviewed! I really appreciate all of your input!

* * *

"Wake Up girls!" Ruth called into the girls' room. She walked straight to the window; behind her, a film crew flooding into the room. As the girls groaned, she threw open the curtains to let the bright sun in.

"God, I miss London gloom," Charlotte groaned. A cameraman shuffled over to her as she tucked more into the bed.

"It is seven o'clock, girls," Ruth stated sternly. "Breakfast is in an hour downstairs." She started to leave the room and turned around. "Also, Lord Darcy has decided to join the group for breakfast."

Beth groaned and sunk as far as possible into the bed. Her cheeks grew pink as she thought about how she got lost yesterday. No doubt that Darcy was coming to breakfast just to embarrass her. She frowned at herself. No, why would he come to torture a contestant like that? Ruth must have begged him for better TV. She rolled her eyes, but feeling better, threw off the duvet.

"Come on, girls! Rise and shine!" Beth sang out. Jane smiled, but didn't move. Charlotte was grumpier.

"Since you're up, why don't you shower and let us all rest!" Beth stuck out her tongue and went to the shower. When she got out, Jane had moved to the window and left straight away for her shower. Charlotte was looking through her clothes.

"What do you think they want us to wear for breakfast?" she asked.

"I have no idea. I guess something 'ladylike.'" Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't help much," she mumbled. Beth went over to her and looked at her clothes.

"Why don't you wear that dress? It's pretty."

Charlotte sighed. "I guess. What else are we doing today?"

Beth picked up the schedule they were given before they left for Pemberley. "Today we have breakfast at eight, exercise/free time from ten until noon, a lesson at noon – "How to eat a meal properly," and then we prepare for the ball tonight." Just then, Jane walked out of the shower and Charlotte took her spot. Jane took the schedule from Beth.

"We meet the escorts tonight, right?" Jane asked. She walked to her closet and pulled out a cream skirt and floral blouse.

"I think so," Beth changed quickly into grey trousers and a maroon blouse. She walked to the mirror to style her hair. "Do you think they'll be nice?"

"I'm sure they will be. Why would they be here otherwise?" Beth snorted. "Really, Beth. They are taking time from their own lives for- really- what reason?" Beth didn't know what to say. She started to put on some make-up. Jane came over to the mirror to style her own hair. "So, where did you go last night?"

Beth stared at Jane as she felt her cheeks turn pink. "I tried to find my way outside for a walk," she replied quickly.

"Did you find it?" Jane asked innocently. Beth stared at Jane.

"Jane! You heard me, didn't you!"

Jane laughed, "Well, I woke and saw that you weren't there. I was about to leave when I heard you and a certain _man_ outside the door." She gave a wicked smile. "So, how is _William_?"

"You are so evil!" Beth squealed. Then she sighed. "I don't know about him at all. He was rather cold, really. He is polite, but I don't think I like him that much."

"I think he was very kind to escort you back to the room."

"Well – I sort of _asked_ him. I was completely lost. And he was very forward in saying how he was not a fan of this whole competition in his home and for our incident to _not_ happen again." Beth's face grew warm again in embarrassment. With this new information, Jane's face fell a bit. Instantly, she brightened again.

"But, he asked you to call him William, right?" Beth nodded. "Plus, he is now coming to breakfast with us. Do you think that he decided to give us a chance?"

Beth laughed. "I doubt it. I'm sure that Ruth begged him to join us for better TV."

"Hmmm, do you really think so? William doesn't seem like the type of person who would give in so easily." Before Beth could respond, Charlotte came out of the shower and paused dramatically.

"Ok, tomorrow I either get the bath first, or we need to wake up earlier. Someone has stolen all the hot water!"

* * *

Beth, Jane and Charlotte were not the first to arrive to breakfast. In fact, they were the last people, minus Lord Darcy. Ruth jumped up as they arrived and ushered them to a table with two empty chairs. Beth noticed that each of the groups of girls were at table with empty chairs.

"Are more people coming?" Beth asked. Ruth nodded, but didn't offer more information. She waiting for all the girls to sit down and went to the door. Beth heard her talking to someone, but didn't catch the words. Ruth came back into the room and sat down next to Mary Ronai. Mary, Lydia and Catherine stared back at Ruth until another door opened and servants came into the room carrying plates of food. Lydia squeaked in delight – earning a disapproving look from Ruth – and eagerly looked for her plate.

Beth was pleased to find that the breakfasts were a mix of items that included fruit, bread, jam, toast, sliced meats and eggs. Eating fried foods in the morning was fine, but not when one was going to be who knows what later on. Sighing with contentment, she picked up her knife to get some jam. Then, the door opened and a group paused at the door.

It was if someone had paused time. Every girl stopped mid-action what they were doing to look at the new arrivals. Beth could see that Jane had stopped mid-way through taking a sip of tea. The group at the door looked a bit uncomfortable at this reaction as Ruth stood and came over to them.

"I am very happy to see you this morning!" she exclaimed, shaking Lady Darcy's hand and giving her a kiss on the check. "Please join us! I have left open spots at each table for you."

"Thank you, Ruth." Lady Darcy replied. She stepped forward to the group. "Good morning, ladies. I hope you slept very well last night." She paused as the girls nodded. Lady Darcy looked around the group, until she came to Beth. She gave a small smile before continuing. "I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine who was able to join us for Breakfast." A striking young woman stepped forward to Lard Dary's side. "This is Lady Anja Baker. She is visiting us for our local summer holidays and has volunteered to help judge and offer advice as well. I'm sure you'll find that she is a valuable lady to know." Anja and Georgiana smiled to each other and walked forward to sit at the table with Anne Bourgh and Caroline Bingley.

Next, everyone looked at the two gentlemen. Darcy cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I'm afraid that only two of us escorts will join you this morning. This is my close friend, Mr. Charles Bingley. Matthew Fitzwilliam will join us this evening for the ball and sends his regrets that he could not be here this morning." Darcy stopped and abruptly walked to sit next to Beth. Charles, after a moment, dashed after him to sit next to Jane with a brilliant smile to her. Jane blushed and looked at her plate shyly. Both Beth and Darcy looked at the couple in surprise. Charlotte cleared her throat.

"So, Mr. Bingley; when did you arrive?" Charlotte asked.

"Late last night. I was afraid to wake up everyone, but William was still up when I arrived." He turned to Darcy. "What were you doing that late at night, William?"

Beth's face felt warm as Darcy replied. "I couldn't sleep. I tried to take a walk, but it didn't help so I waited for your arrival." Bingley laughed.

"Well, I'm glad you did!" He turned to Jane. "I was waiting outside in the wind for about a half hour until he heard I was there."

"Oh! I hope you will not catch a cold," Jane exclaimed. Beth raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no; I should be very well," He smiled at Jane again who smiled back. Bingley then looked back and forth between Darcy and Beth, who were both staring at him and Jane with forks midway to their mouths. "Is there something wrong?" Darcy and Beth looked at each other and quickly finished eating. For the entirety of the meal, the conversation was primarily between Jane, Charles and Charlotte. Beth and William mostly keep to themselves, outside occasional comments. As the plates were taken away, William turned to Beth.

"I understand that there is some free time before your next lesson," William said.

Rather surprised, Beth responded, "Yes." She looked to Charlotte and back to William. "I believe we are to use the time to 'exercise.'" William nodded.

"If you are so inclined, I recommend that you walk around the south part of the park. It is rather lovely this time of year." Beth looked at him, surprised and nodded her thanks. William pushed his chair back and stood up. "Excuse us ladies." Charles sent an apologetic look to Jane and stood up as well. They both took their leave straight away after a nod to the entire group.

Beth let out her breath and looked around the room. Lydia, Catherine and Mary were talking animatedly, with a bored Ruth watching them. Anne continued to look terrified of the company at her table. Caroline, Georgiana and Anja seemed to be keeping up a very comfortable conversation. Georgiana felt Beth's eyes and turned to smile at her. Beth smiled back and turned back to her table.

* * *

"Beth!" Charlotte ran to Beth, panting, "Wait up!"

Beth turned to wait for Charlotte to catch up to her. In the end, she did take William's advice and was walking about the south part of the park. She couldn't help but admire the positioning of the gardens and trees to the river. She was trying to decide which path to follow when Charlotte caught up to her.

"Enjoying your walk?" Charlotte asked as she came closer.

"Very much," Beth replied with a smile. "I never thought that an estate could be as comfortable as this one is."

"Yes," Charlotte laughed. "Imagine that! We are here for a competition and I feel a bit like I'm on holiday!" The girls continued on the path for a few minutes in silence. Suddenly, there was a flurry of action and noise as Lydia and Catherine came around the corner. The stopped when they saw Beth and Charlotte.

"Hello," Lydia said.

"Hello Lydia; Hello Catherine," Beth replied. "Enjoying your walk?" This gave Lydia the perfect opportunity to talk.

"_Yes!_ Are you as amazed as we are by the estate! I can not wait until I own one some day; although I would get rid of some of these bushes – they are so annoying, don't you think? I mean, you can't see the river, they don't give flowers – what is the _point_ for them?"

"Maybe they are used to hid wandering lovers," Charlotte said slyly. Lydia thought for a moment and then her face lit up.

"You're right! Oh, Kitty – wouldn't that be a great way to… you know… have fun with the escorts!" Kitty giggled and nodded. Charlotte and Beth exchanged a glace.

"So, where are you going to?" Beth asked.

"Oh – it's almost time for our first lesson! I would have though that you would not want to be late for that! We must, like, prepare for tonight's ball! Wouldn't it be absolutely horrifying to be sitting across from Lord Darcy and use the wrong fork! I would be completely mortified! That is no way to win a duke," she finished seriously.

"You are absolutely correct," Charlotte replied. Lydia looked rather proud. "So, what are you wearing for tonight?"

"Well, I have a few things picked out. It doesn't sound _supper_ formal, but it must be nicer than a cocktail party or something like that."

"I think I'll wear my blue, calf-length dress," Catherine interrupted. Beth and Charlotte looked at her in surprise to hear her talk. "I think it is the perfect dress for a night like tonight."

"Oh, Kitty! You are right – that dress is brilliant on you! Now, what should I wear? I brought so many things, I can't decide! Well, we can look after class."

"Right, what time is it?" Beth asked. Charlotte looked at her watch and replied. The group of girls hurried back toward the estate.

* * *

"I never though that eating food would make my head hurt so much!" Beth complained as her, Jane and Charlotte got ready for the ball. The training lunch ended up taking three and a half hours as they learned how to sit properly, drink properly, wait for food properly, choose their silverware properly, cut food properly, eat the food properly, wipe their mouths properly, ask for something properly and stand up properly. Beth thought that they looked like a bunch of idiots, continually standing, sitting, drinking and pondering over their place settings. "At least I know now the difference between a salad fork and desert fork!" She joked.

"I thought that it was very interesting," Jane replied. "I never knew that there was so much involved with eating a meal!"

"Well, we can see how much you really learned at dinner tonight," Charlotte joined in as she pined back her hair into a loose bun. "You shouldn't forget that the _escorts_ will be there," she sang. Jane blushed.

"Beth, are you almost ready?" Jane asked. Beth looked up as she slipped into her heels.

"I am now." She stood up and looked in the mirror. The golden tones of her dress complimented her skin and brown hair. She has decided to just pull a bit of her hair from her face and let the rest curl down her back. The dress complimented her figure as it hugged her curves and ended just at her knees. She smiled and turned to the waiting girls. "Let's meet the boys!"

* * *

More coming soon! 


	4. Ball and First Elimination

A/N: Right, I have chapters further down, but am now having a hard time getting there! (Plus, I'm afraid my personal life got rather busy for a few weeks. 3 weddings and my mom came to visit me!) Anyways, I still feel a bit off my story, so please offer suggestions:) I think I'm going to try to have a bit more of Caroline to make things interesting. Do you agree?

* * *

Opening Ball

Warm sounds of a string quartet drifted towards the girls as they made their way to the main dinning room. At the entrance, they joined the rest of the girls and Ruth. Lydia and Catherine seemed particularly anxious to enter the ball and were giggling and whispering excitedly. Caroline spent her time between glaring in disgust at the two girls and trying to look as though she did this all the time.

"Girls," Ruth commanded, "Please gather round for a moment." She waited as the group came in closer and quieted down. "**_Tonight, is the opening ball, but also an elimination round._**" Lydia and Catherine gasped. "**_Our judges – and guests – will judge you tonight on how well you learned your lesson this afternoon, your poise, your conversation and overall manner. Please be sure to talk with every judge and escort by the end of the night_**." She paused as a camera zoomed in on a paler-than-usual looking Anne. She clasped her hands and smiled. "_**But, please don't forget to enjoy yourself! Now, enter the room and – with poise – find your place card and sit down. Do NOT trade cards or you will be automatically eliminated**._" She warned, glaring at Lydia. Lydia blushed, giggled and nodded. Ruth waved to her assistant and the doors to the dinning hall opened.

Ruth led the girls to the large table in the middle of the room where Lord and Lady Darcy, Lady Baker, Mr. Bingley and another guest was sitting. Hung on the walls were portraits of the Darcy family from different ages. Over the grand fireplace, and the focus of the room, was a dignified impression of the current Lord and Lady Darcy. Beth found herself intrigued by the pensive expression on Lord Darcy's face as his sister smiled brightly next to him. Then, Jane took her arm and led them towards the far end of the table.

Thankfully, Beth noticed that William Darcy's was not near to their seats, but at the end of the opposite end of the table. With further satisfaction – to both her and Caroline – she saw that Caroline earned the seat directly next to Will. Beth smirked. Although Will rose and acknowledge Caroline with a kiss on the cheek, he didn't look pleased at all. Caroline, on the other hand, was ecstatic. She spoke to Will with great energy, while looking down at the other girls. Lydia looked green with envy and shoot Caroline death stares.

Next to Will were Charles Bingley and the new gentleman who Beth figured must be Matthew Fitzwilliam. Matthew was well dressed gentleman who, in the setting, really just looked average. As he glanced around at the girls, he leaned towards Charles and shared a joke. Charles and him laughed uproariously, and even Will cracked a smile.

Georgiana Darcy and Anja Baker were seated at the middle of the table. Close to them were Anne, Lydia and Catherine and then Ester Armato and Paul Hanson, who was also next to Charlotte. Once seated, Ruth tapped on her water glass and stood up. Everyone stopped talking and looked up.

"**_Good evening and welcome to our first elimination event. Tonight, we will see how well you learned from Ester's lessons and well as how well you can use your own charms in conversation with our judges, escorts and fellow contestants. You will notice than our final escort, Matthew Fitzwilliam, has arrived to join us tonight._**" Matthew smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. "**_Royal correspondent Paul Hanson is joining us as well and please remember that he is one of the judges. Now, please enjoy tonight's meal, company and dancing!_**"

"So," Georgiana began, "How are you ladies getting along with lessons?" She smiled to the always timid Anne next to her. "Are you enjoying your time here?"

"Yes ma'am," Anne answered quietly. Before she could continue, Lydia chimed in.

"Oh, Lady Darcy, we are having such a fantastic time!" Catherine nodded enthusiastically next to her. "I'm not sure if I'm getting the hang of the lessons, but Kitty and I took at walk outside today and we are _so _amazed by the estate! I can't believe that you really live here!" As Lydia finished, Beth noticed that Ester looked a bit surprised at Lydia's conversation, but didn't say anything. Just then, door opened and servers came in to serve a course of asparagus soup.

"Yes, the estate does seem rather large for just my brother and me. To be fair, this estate has been within our family for several generations of Lords and Ladies and for entertaining purposes, it is still a bit cozier than some people would prefer." Lydia gasped in surprise.

"Really? Who do you host – the queen?" Lydia joked.

"Why, yes. Although not recently," Georgiana replied.

Further up the table, Anja Baker addressed Jane. "Jane, I noticed that you seem to be learning very quickly from these lessons! I'm really glad; after breakfast, Charles couldn't stop talking about what a lovely person you are."

Jane blushed and looked at her bowl modestly. "Well, Mr. Bingley is probably the kindest gentlemen I have met yet and I'm very glad that I have earned his good opinion."

"Yes, Charles is good and really likes most people." Jane face froze a moment. "But, I trust his opinion and since he only talked about you from the girls, I think that you have made a very good impression."

"Well, thank you." Jane replied. There was a moment of silence as they took at sip from their bowls. "I am very glad that you could join us for this competition. You must think that we are a bunch of silly girls for trying to do this kind of reality show, but it means a lot to me that you have taken the time to be with us."

"Jane, you are very sweet! It is really no problem at all. I always come here in summer for the local events. I am currently in university for public administration and the Will is a great tutor in how to be successful in that regard."

"Oh, I'm sure. Which university are you at? I attend the London School of Economics…" their conversation veered off very cheerfully. Beth and Charlotte had been listening to the conversations when Charlotte remarked, "Mr. Darcy has been looked at you quite often this evening, Beth."

Beth looked up and caught glances with Will. After a moment he turned away towards Charles and whispered something. Beth turned to Charlotte, noticing that Paul Hanson had been looked between Will and her as well. She smiled. "I'm sure that any distraction from Caroline would be a welcome one to him. Besides, he may just as well be looking at you!"

Charlotte laughed. "I doubt it. But, I think everyone looks very handsome tonight."

"Yes, there is no doubt about that." Beth found herself struggling to not say what she really thought, especially since Paul was so close to them. "Mr. Hanson, thank you so much for taking the time to judge this competition. I hope that we will be as entertaining as the royal family."

Paul smiled. "The royal family certainly has their moments, but I anticipate that the girls here will offer more gossip than I would ever get from the royals." He nodded towards Lydia, still in animated conversation with Kitty and a tired Georgiana. "This young lady seems to be one of particular interest to the cameras and probably the audience."

"Lydia?" Beth laughed, "Yes, her and Catherine seem to be a thick as a pack of thieves, although their roommate Mary is a bit quieter." Beth nodded towards Mary, who was on the other side of Paul and listening to Georgiana.

"Ah, yes, Mary is bit quieter. But not as quiet as Anne." They looked at Anne for a moment. "She won't last long if she keeps their behaviour up."

"She is rather shy among the girls. I don't think that it helps that she shares a room with Caroline. But, no one is willing to change rooms."

"Hmm, its Caroline that cold?" Paul asked innocently.

"Now Paul," Charlotte exclaimed, "You don't expect us to gossip about our competition do you?"

"Of course," Paul took a bite of their currently course, roast lamb. "Or at least an objective view."

"Well, if I can be _objective_ – yes, Caroline is rather cold. Plus, she says that she is in the competition as a special favour to Lord Darcy." She looked at Paul in surprise as he snorted. "What?"

"I highly doubt that Caroline was asked here by Lord Darcy. She has been trying to attach herself to William through her brother Charles for several years now. It has, unfortunately, caused William to become more withdrawn while in public society. He is an extremely eligible bachelor, but Caroline's behaviour makes him weary of new company. Don't get me wrong – William could cut of Caroline, however he values his friendship with Charles much higher than the annoyances that Caroline brings."

* * *

"**_If you would all join us now in the ballroom for some after dinner entertainment…"_** Ruth gestured towards the now open doors at the end of the hall. The company slowly rose and walked into the ballroom. Paul, Charlotte and Beth continued talking, although they now were comparing opinions of different estates around the country. Jane joined them as Anja Baker stood with Georgiana. Lydia was trying to attract the attention of the escorts and stood almost directly in front of Lord Darcy. Caroline took his arm possessively, however Will walked away from her to stand by his sister. Caroline glared at Lydia when she giggled. Lydia looked ready to respond when a quartet entered the room. The guests took at seat and enjoyed a half-hour of music.

At its finale, the quartet was joined by several more members and took to a corner. There, some waltz' began to play for the guests. Anne and Catherine looked a bit panicked when they realized they would have to dance. To start, Georgiana and Charles, Ester and Paul, William and Anja, and Matthew and Ruth danced before the group. Beth noticed that Caroline was glaring the entire time, even though there was cameras near-by her. Caroline fidgeted until the dance was over and then watched at William left Anja and walked towards… Elizabeth!

"Elizabeth, do you know how to waltz?" Will asked a very surprised Beth.

"Why- I – A little," Beth feebly replied. Will held out his arm and Beth stared a moment before taking it. They walked to the dance floor, passing by a whispering Lydia and Kitty. As they took their position, Charles and Jane joined them as well as Matthew and Georgiana. The waltz began and Beth thanked the heavens that she hadn't stepped on Will's toes yet.

Although the melody was enjoyable, Beth's mind was running with possible conversation topics. After several failed attempts to begin, Beth finally asked, "Thank you again for recommending the walk along the river. Charlotte and I really admired your gardens. I don't think I have ever seen such a beautifully situated estate." Will nodded and continued to dance. Beth raised an eyebrow, starting again to get annoyed.

"I hope that we are not disrupting your normal summer schedule too much. It is incredibility generous for us to use your estate. I think to my friend, Jane, this is an especially particular dream come true."

"Why is that?" Will asked. Beth startled that he would ask this.

"Well, Jane is such an innocent, sweet girl and therefore likes these rather elegant settings." Beth tried to find right words, so that Will would not think badly of her dear friend. "I think all women, no matter if they already have a lovely home, enjoy the times where they can move outside their normal roles into something a bit more elegant."

"Perhaps." Will didn't sound convinced. "Or, they simply wish to live like a Lady. Isn't that the point of this show?"

"Right, because 'Lady of Shallot' sounds all so dignified." Beth replied sarcastically. Will looked at her more closely.

"So, why would women, who don't want to be a Lady, come to a show all about being a lady?"

"You forget that there is a different between being a Lady and acting like a lady. While those Lady's such as your sister and Anja truly embody all that is good and have the etiquette to show it, I would consider them ladies even without the title. I admire those behaviours that true ladies possess and felt that this would be a fun way to learn etiquette from true masters."

"I think you give Ester and my sister more credit than may be due to them."

Beth stopped Will and looked at him. "But, I really do believe that your sister has wonderful manners, etiquette and is really a wonderful person!"

At that moment, the dance ended and Will took Beth's hand to escort her back to her seat. However, he continued to escort her out the door. Before a cameraman could follow them, Will closed the door. Beth looked at Will.

"I'm afraid I don't feel comfortable talking bluntly where cameras are around." Will explained to Beth. She nodded and looked at Will quizzically. "Beth, how well do you know Jane?"

"What? I have known Jane practically all my life! Why?"

"My friends and family mean a great deal to me and another concern of this program is that one may fall is love throughout filming. I know that the producers are encouraging it." Will replied, pacing. He stopped and turned towards Beth. "What are Jane's intentions for coming on the show?"

"Are you implying something Lord Darcy?"

"Does she only wish to learn the manners of a lady like you?" Will persisted. Beth stared for a moment, thinking of how to respond.

"No." Will drew out his breath. Beth frantically thought of how to talk. "Jane is the most kind, caring, considerate person I have ever known. She is very quick to see good in everything and everyone and never wants to see people hurt. At the same time, and I think because she is so innocent in a way, she loves fairy tales. This show is a bit like a fairy tale. They told us that we had the change to learn how to be a lady, earn a title and some money. But, that is all they told us! We didn't know anything about 'escorts!' Plus, none of us would ever try to seduce a man just to gain status or money."

"Even if you don't win?" Will asked. Beth glared at him and calmed her reaction to slap him.

"Lord Darcy, I'm sorry that you think so badly of all women. I do not have to defend myself or my intentions to you. If you don't like me, vote me off. I'm not worried. But, this means a lot to Jane- she is such a good person. You can have your opinions, but if you can't see the sincerity of Jane; I think you are blind." Will and Beth stood there, staring at each other until a knock at the door interrupted them. Will broke the stare and opened the door.

"Lord Darcy," Ruth said, "We need to discuss who to eliminate now." Will nodded and closed the door. He turned to Beth.

"Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I hope you and your friends enjoy the rest of the evening." Beth nodded and Will opened the door to come inside. Beth stood there, fuming for a moment before opening the door as well and walking over to Jane and Charlotte.

"Beth!" Jane cried as she came closer. "Where have you been! We have had so much fun!" Charlotte laughed.

"You have had fun; dancing with all of the gentlemen – particularly Mr. Charles Bingley." Charlotte teased as Jane blushed.

"He is amazing, isn't he?" Jane commented as Charlotte nodded. She noticed that Beth wasn't agreeing. "Beth, you don't think so? Is there something wrong?"

Beth forced a smile. "No, I think that Charles is charming. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

Thankfully, before more questions could be asked, Ruth stepped away from the judges. "**_Ladies, please set forward. The judges have made their decision._**" She waited until all girls crowed around her. "**_Part of being a lady, as you have learned so far, is knowing how to walk, talk, present yourself and eat properly. Tonight, our judges have been talking with you and observing your behaviour. While they agree that all of you have shown already that you take being a lady seriously, we agree that one person has not be as successful as the others in showing her willingness to become a true lady._**" Ruth paused and looked around the room. "**_We have decided to ask that one of you leave our competition and return home to your family and friends. Today, that lady is Ms. Anne Bourgh._**" Anne gasped and turned red in the face. "**_Ms. Bourgh, please pack your things and leave Pemberley Estate. The rest of you have passed this session and will continue on the competition to "Become A Lady!"_**

After a moment, Jane walked over to Anne and gave her a hug. The rest of the girls followed to give Anne hugs and wish her the best of luck. Jane and Anne walked out together to put her things together to go. When Beth looked around, the judges and escorts were gone. She looked to Charlotte and they walked out of the ballroom and back to their bedroom. They were in no mood for the gossip that was already starting among the other girls.

* * *

Ok, was it worth the wait? I'll try to get another chapter out soon, but please offer suggestions! 


End file.
